Remember You
by AML15
Summary: Tragedy strikes the Robbins-Torres home and as the family struggles to accept the news, they are reminded of their loss everywhere they turn. *MINOR CHARACTER DEATH*. Sequel to "Dreams Redefined".
1. Chapter 1

**This is a sequel of sorts to my story "Dreams Redefined", but it has a much different tone and takes place several years later. It's not really necessary to read "Dreams Redefined" beforehand, I don't think anyone will be confused if they haven't. I feel the need to mention this story is set after the events of 7x18. The idea for this story started out as just a one-shot from Sofia's perspective, but the more time I spent outlining the story, the more it took on a life of it's own! So it's longer than originally planned and is written in third-person because I wanted to show other characters' thoughts and feelings. As always, enjoy and please leave a review! **

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><p>Arizona opened the back door to the house she shared with Callie and their four children and was greeted by a flying soccer ball that nearly hit her in the face. It smacked into the wall next to her and rebounded away into the family room.<p>

"Harper! No soccer in the house!" Arizona yelled, feeling like she had this conversation every day with her rambunctious youngest child. Ten-year-old Harper came running up to her. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and it swished from side to side as she moved and her blue eyes were sparkling in a way that told Arizona that Harper knew something.

"Sofia and Sierra are fighting again." She tattled, completely dismissing her mother's order and changing the subject. Harper told everyone _everything_ so her siblings were always trying to keep her out of the loop. However, when Sofia and Sierra were screaming at each other, it was a little hard to hide from their nosy snitch of a younger sister.

Arizona sighed. "Ok, I'll take care of it." Harper started to turn and run into the family room, but Arizona stopped her. "Hey! No soccer. I mean it." She repeated adamantly.

"Fine." Harper agreed with a dejected sigh. Arizona rolled her eyes at Harper's dramatization over the slightest thing. She trudged up the steps, not looking forward to what she might encounter with her two older daughters. She could hear their voices coming from Sierra's room and opened the door to find seventeen-year-old Sofia and twelve-year-old Sierra standing toe-to-toe, faces red and voices raised.

"Hey!" Arizona's voice cut through their shouts and made both girls turn and look. "What's going on?"

Sofia and Sierra glanced heatedly at each other and then faced Arizona and both jumped in to tell their side of the story. Arizona held a hand up. "Whoa! One at a time." She demanded, silencing both girls.

"Mom!" Harper called up the stairs.

"What?" Arizona snapped, not appreciating the timing.

"Uncle Matt is on the phone."

"Oh geez." She muttered to herself. She'd barely been home five minutes and she felt like her attention was being pulled in eight different directions. "Alright, tell him I'll be there in a minute." She shouted, and then turned back to Sofia and Sierra. "You two, stay away from each other until I get back, alright? Not one word to each other."

Sofia crossed her arms and looked away, while Sierra obediently resigned herself to sitting quietly on her bed until her mom returned. Arizona left the room and started toward the stairs but paused to knock softly on Holden's door.

"Come in."

She peeked inside to find her fourteen-year-old son at his desk doing homework. "Just checking to see what you are up to." She explained, smiling at her only seemingly sane child at the moment.

"I'm avoiding the madness." He replied with his suffering look of I'm-the-only-boy-living-with-two-moms-and-three-sisters. "What's for dinner?"

"I don't know. Maybe if I get a second to actually think, I can figure that out."

"Mom! Uncle Matt is _still_ on the phone!" Harper reminded her mom from somewhere downstairs. Arizona sent Holden a stressed look.

"You better take care of that." Holden turned back to his homework. Arizona nodded and left, going down the stairs only to have her cell phone quickly thrust at her when she reached the landing.

"Here." Harper handed it off and ran away. Arizona didn't bother to ask what she was up to. She didn't want to know.

"Matt? Sorry about that. It's a little crazy here at the moment." Arizona said with a small laugh.

"Arizona, I don't know how to tell you this…" her younger brother's voice was dreadfully serious on the other end of the line.

"What happened?" She asked, feeling her heart rate speed up as panic settled in.

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><p>It was close to 8:00 when Callie finally made it home. She smelled pasta and followed the scent to the kitchen. She was starving, but it seemed a little late for the rest of the family to be eating. She was surprised to find Holden standing next to the stove, stirring the pot of noodles while the sauce simmered next to it.<p>

"Hey, Buddy. What's going on?" She asked, dropping her purse on the counter and sliding off her jacket.

"Well, I was hungry and so was Harper, so I'm making some pasta." Holden stated in a way that was straight to the point, but didn't explain why. It was typical of Holden. "Don't worry, there is enough for everyone else, too." He added.

"That's great, but where's your mom? I thought she was home already." Callie was sure that Arizona had gotten off work a few hours before her, but if she had, she would have been making dinner, not Holden. Holden turned to Callie and gave her a grave look. "She's been up in her room crying for a while now. She won't come out and I'm afraid to bother her."

If Callie wasn't so worried, she would have berated her son for not starting with that when she first walked in, but she was too concerned about Arizona to say anything and immediately turned to go upstairs. She opened the door to their bedroom and found Arizona curled up on the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around a pillow.

"Arizona? Baby, what's wrong?" Callie asked softly, alarmed by what she saw. Arizona had been silent, but when Callie spoke, she started to cry again. Callie sat on the bed and began to rub Arizona's back, waiting for an answer. Arizona fought to control her weeping, but it wasn't an easy task.

"My …. Dad… is …. dead." She managed to say between sobs before bursting into another fit of tears and crying even harder than before. It was the first time she's said it out loud and she felt the sting of pain all over again.

"Oh my god. No." The news hit Callie like a ton of bricks landing on her chest. She wanted to ask how it happened, but she feared making Arizona cry if she tried to talk about it.

"It was a…. heart attack." Arizona struggled to say. "Matt said… it was quick. Mom found …..him, but it was …. too late."

"Oh my god." Callie felt her own tears start to fill her eyes. "Come here." She pulled Arizona up so that she could hold her. A sudden knock on the door startled both of them.

"Not now." Callie called to whoever was on the other side of the door.

"Oh my god. The kids. I can't tell the kids." Arizona began to frantically babble to herself.

"Hey, it's ok. I'll tell them. We'll tell them together." Callie ran her hand over Arizona's blonde hair. "We'll get through this." Arizona turned pain-filled eyes to her wife.

"I don't know if I will…"

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><p>"What's going on?" Sofia wanted to know. All four kids had crammed on the couch and their parents were standing before them. Her mom looked like a basket case and she could tell that her mama had been crying a little as well. It was scaring her more than she wanted to admit.<p>

"Are you ok, Mommy?" Sierra asked Arizona, her brown eyes wide with concern. Arizona tried to speak, but tears sprang back into her eyes and she quietly tried to blink them away. Callie gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm afraid I don't have very good news." Callie began, struggling to find the right words. Her voice was shaky and full of emotion. Four pairs of eyes were locked on her and she could almost see them physically bracing themselves for the worst. "This morning, your grandpa had a heart attack and, uh, he didn't make it." An uncomfortable silence settled among the group. The kids' faces first registered shock and then hurt. Arizona was trying to stifle her sobs, but it wasn't working. Sierra got up from her spot on the couch and wrapped her arms around her mom, trying to comfort her, but seeking her own comforting in return as the news set in. Callie saw Harper start to fall apart next. Holden was sitting next to her and put an arm around her. She leaned into him and started to cry. Sobs and sniffles filled the air as the family felt the pain of their loss sink in.

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><p>"Mark, I need to talk to you." Mark recognized Callie's voice coming from behind him, but he kept his face buried in the hospital chart he was looking at.<p>

"Good morning, Callie. I'm fine, thanks. How are you?" He joked. He lifted his eyes to her face and saw the dark circles under eyes that were filled with raw misery. The teasing smile disappeared from his face and he suddenly looked concerned.

"Whoa. Are you ok? What the hell happened?" He prodded, placing his hands comfortingly on her shoulders. Callie looked like she was about to talk, but stopped herself. She glanced around the busy hospital lobby and shook her head. "Not here."

Mark's expression only grew more worried. "Callie, you're scaring me. Is it Sofia? Is she ok?"

"Yes, she's fine." Callie blurted out, pulling Mark into the nearest on-call room. "Well, I mean no, not completely. None of us are."

"Callie." Mark pleaded. "Just tell me."

"Ok, ok. I…" Callie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She'd been taking care of crying kids and a crying wife all morning. And all night. And all she really wanted to do was sit by herself and cry also, but she couldn't. "We found out that Arizona's dad passed away yesterday."

Mark's look of concern turned to sympathy. "I'm sorry. That's…"

"Yeah." Callie took another deep breath. It seemed to be the only that helped at the moment. "Anyway, we have to fly to Chicago in a few days and Sofia will be with us during your week with her –"

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. I understand." He was quick to put her at ease. This wasn't the first time the schedule got a little moved around and it wouldn't be the last. "How's she holding up?"

"She's been… quiet, which is starting to freak me out, because it's Sofia and she's the loudest person I know." Mark cracked a smile and Callie couldn't help but smile a little, too.

"She's strong." Mark added. "She'll be alright. It may take a little time for all of you, but everyone will pull through." Callie nodded, knowing this was true, but still wishing there was an easier way to grieve.

"How are _you_ holding up?" He asked.

"I just… I've been so busy taking care of everyone else, I haven't even been able to grieve myself."

Mark pulled Callie into a hug. She relaxed into his strong arms, thankful for his support when she felt like she needed to be everyone else's. "I keep going back to this one memory of him when the kids were little…"

_ It was summertime in Chicago. Callie and Arizona had flown in for a week with three-year-old Sofia and six-month-old Holden. As always, Arizona's parents were thrilled to see the kids and proceeded to spoil them rotten, something that Arizona admitted to Callie was a wonder for her to see, since her parents were never that laidback with her and her brothers. _

_ "They're grandparents now. It's what they do." Callie told her with a smile. In all honesty, Callie was thrilled with how involved Arizona's parents were in their kids' lives, even if they lived far. Her own parents, who had made great strides in trying to come to terms with Callie's life, were not as involved as Callie would have liked. Arizona's parents made it a little easier for Callie. _

_ Barbara Robbins had Holden on her lap and was trying to coax a smile out of him. "Arizona, he looks more like you every time I see him!" She squealed happily. "Just look at those eyes!" _

_ "What about me?" Sofia asked, leaning against her grandmother's leg. _

_ "You, darling, look just like your other mommy." Barbara fondly stroked Sofia's silky black hair. She threw one arm around Sofia and pulled Holden a little closer with the other. She shot Arizona a look._

_ "What does that face mean?" Arizona asked. _

_ "I just sometimes can't believe I'm holding my baby girl's two babies. It goes fast, just watch." Arizona smiled back. _

_ "I'm going to get something to drink." Callie announced, excusing herself as she went to the kitchen. Col Robbins was already in there, helping himself to a cup of coffee. He was a kind man, but stern, and for that reason, Callie was always a little scared of him. The only time she ever saw him completely relaxed and at ease was with his grandkids. _

_ "There's a fresh pot of coffee if you want some." He told her. _

_ "Ok, thank you, sir." Callie murmured. He eyed her curiously, but didn't say anything. Callie reached for the pot of coffee and preceded to poor herself a cup. They didn't say anything else until Callie was about to leave the kitchen. _

_ "Callie." He surprised her by speaking up. She was standing on the threshold of the living room and turned to face him. He glanced down at his cup of coffee briefly and then squared his shoulders and looked her in the eye. "I've never said this out loud, but I've been thinking it a lot and meaning to tell you."_

_ Callie stared at him questioningly. She'd never had a serious conversation with him before. Now that she thought about it, she'd never been alone with him before. _

_ "You make my daughter very happy." His face was still set firmly in place like he was giving an order, but his eyes softened just slightly when he said 'my daughter'. "She's an incredible person. She deserves happiness and you've given it to her. I just wanted to say thank you for loving my Arizona and making her happier than I've ever seen her. That, in turn, makes me a very happy father." _

_ Callie smiled at him, speechless. She hadn't expected to hear this from him. Ever. _

_ "And grandfather." He added, surprising Callie once more by smiling back at her. "You and Arizona have two very beautiful, amazing children. I'm very proud of them."_

_ Callie struggled to find something to say. The man had just shared more with her in five minutes than he had in the three years she'd known him. "She makes me happy, too." was all she could think to say. The colonel nodded and sipped his coffee. Sofia came running in just when Callie wondered what to say next. _

_ "Grandpa!" She stood in front of him and stretched her arms up, silently asking to be picked up. He smiled that rare smile he kept only for his grandkids and bent down to grab her. _

_ "How's my girl?" He asked. Sofia grinned and rested her head on his shoulder, her slim arms reaching around his neck. "How about we go see if Grandma and the rest of the troops are ready to go to the zoo?" _

_ "Yeah!" Sofia exclaimed. The Colonel laughed and strolled into the living room with his granddaughter. Callie followed them out and couldn't wait until she had Arizona alone so she could tell her what happened. _

"He accepted me and Sofia into his family." Callie concluded. "At a time when I was struggling and fighting with my own family and feeling betrayed and abandoned, he welcomed us and loved us. He was a good man."

Mark shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry this happened. If you need anything, Lexie and I are here to help."

"Thanks, Mark. I gotta go home now. We have to book flights and pack and get everything together. The kids are going to miss school so I have to take care of that. Feels like the list never ends." Callie rambled.

"Just breathe. You'll get through this. Call me if you need anything."

"Ok. Thanks again." Callie turned to go.

"Callie, give my love and sympathy to Arizona and the kids." Mark told her earnestly.

"I will. Bye, Mark."

Callie returned home to a quiet house. She didn't see any of the kids and wondered if they were all hiding in their rooms, suffering quietly with their loss. Then she heard thumping coming from the second floor and went in search of the source. Arizona was in Harper's room, tearing apart her closet and scattering clothing all over the room. Callie glanced around for Harper, but she wasn't in the room.

"Hon, what are you doing?" Callie approached cautiously.

"Harper doesn't own any black! Not one piece of black clothing! How is that possible? She's got _nothing_ to wear to the funeral!"

"Calm down. It's going to be ok."

"No, it's not! I checked Sierra's closet, too. Do you know what she has? One black skirt and nothing to go with it! I don't know if I can even bother to check Sofia's. Our children have nothing to wear! Holden has black sweatshirts." Arizona laughed joylessly at the notion. "He's going to be wearing black sweatshirts at my father's –" Arizona faltered on the word 'funeral'. She was finally quiet so Callie knew it was alright to hug her.

"I'll take the kids shopping. Right now. We'll go to the store and I'll get them an entire outfit each if that's what we need to do. I'll get Holden a suit and anything the girls need, ok? It's going to be ok." Callie felt Arizona start to relax into her arms.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Callie told her. "What about you? Do you need anything?"

Arizona shook her head. She looked around Harper's room. "Oh god, it looks like a tornado came through here. What did I do?"

"You can't take all the credit. Harper is messy all on her own. You just… helped her a little."

Arizona laughed ever so slightly, but Callie was greatly encouraged by that. It was the first time she'd seen her do that in two days. She framed Arizona's face with her hands. "I love you." She kissed her softly. "Are you going to be ok if I leave with the kids?"

"Yes," Arizona stated firmly. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"Ok. Where are those troublesome kids of ours?" Callie teased.

"Harper and Sierra have been glued to each other all day. I think they are in the basement watching a movie together. Holden and Sofia are in their rooms, I think."

Callie nodded and pressed another kiss to her wife's lips before going in search of their children. She entered Sofia's room to find her oldest sitting up on her bed staring at a pair of fancy black heels in her lap.

"Hey Sweetie." Callie greeted her. "We're going to go shopping soon to find outfits for everyone for the funeral. Do you have anything you can wear already?"

Sofia lifted the shoes up for Callie to see. "Just these. I don't have anything else."

"That's fine. We'll make sure all of us have what we need. We're going soon, ok? So get ready." Callie closed the door behind her and Sofia's eyes returned to her shoes. It was funny sometimes how the simplest thing could remind a person of a memory. The last time Sofia had worn those shoes had been the last time she'd seen her grandpa alive. It had been just a few months ago…

_ Sofia plopped into the nearest chair and rubbed her heals. They were starting to blister, but she was having too much fun dancing to care. All she needed was a little break and she would go back out on the dance floor. _

_ "Having fun, Sofia?" her grandpa asked loudly, trying to talk over the music. She beamed at him and nodded. They were at his great-niece's wedding reception. Shannon, the bride, was Sofia's second cousin. Besides her family, Sofia didn't know anybody at the wedding, but that didn't stop her from having a good time. She chatted with her grandparents for a little while, who had only danced a few times before getting comfortable again at their table. The song changed and Sofia was about to jump up and join in on the dancing, but Holden stopped over at the table._

_ "So get this, Adam told the girl he's dancing with that he is 18. She's got to be at least 20!" Holden exclaimed, surprised by his cousin's actions. _

_ "Adam did what?" Barbara was astounded. Matt's youngest son Adam was 16 and got along with Sofia the most, since they were closest in age. _

_ "I know." Sofia grinned. "It was my idea. I told the guy I was dancing with that I'm 19."_

_ "Sofia!" Barbara couldn't believe what she was hearing. _

_ "There are no young people here our age." Sofia added in her defense. "What were we supposed to do?" _

_ Barbara gave her granddaughter a disapproving look and Holden, always trying to please his elders, joined in with a stern shake of his head. _

_ "Oh, leave her be, Barb." Col Robbins said with a laugh. Sofia smiled broadly and sent her brother a triumphant look. "She's young and having fun." _

_ Sofia turned to go back to dancing, but her grandpa stopped her for a moment. "Sofia, just dancing. Nothing else." He told her in no uncertain terms. _

_ "Grandpa!" Sofia blushed._

_ "I just had to say it." He told her. Then he waved his hand to let her know she could go. She quickly spun and disappeared into the crowd. _

Sofia was still staring at the black heels and watched as two tears fell from her face onto them. Last time she had seen him, he had smiled and took her side against Grandma, but he had also let her know that he expected her to be smart and behave in a way that was proper. He loved her. Now he was gone.

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><p><strong>I would love to know what you thought! Leave a review! Also, I'm working on a new title. If you have a better suggestion, let me know! <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**My first chapter received really positive feedback! Thanks guys! You are all awesome. Keep it up. Here is the next chapter, full of more bittersweet family moments and flashbacks of Col Daniel Robbins... Enjoy! **

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><p>The flight to Chicago went as smooth as possible, but it didn't matter, because Arizona hated flying and was fidgety the whole way. Callie sat next to her and did her best to distract her and keep her calm. As if it wasn't bad enough that her dad had died, now she had to suffer for three hours on a plane. Callie was glad that of all the qualities her kids had inherited or learned from Arizona, none of them were a fear of flying. She was just as relieved as Arizona when the plane touched down at O'Hare Airport. It was at the luggage claim that they spotted Arizona's brother, Matt. It was a bittersweet reunion between brother and sister. If only the circumstances had been different, it could have been a joyous occasion. Arizona clung tightly to her younger brother. When they pulled away, both had tears in their eyes. Matt grabbed her suitcase and ushered the family out to his car. All seven of them plus their luggage crammed into Matt's van. Arizona sat up front with her brother and the two whispered quietly back and forth.<p>

"How's Mom?" Arizona wanted to know. Matt stared straight forward as he drove, but Arizona could see the change in his expression even if he didn't look at her.

"About as good as someone can be in this situation, I guess." He murmured. "I've been over to the house a lot, trying to keep an eye on her, but now that you guys will be staying there while you're in town, I can relax just a little bit. Kate and the boys are there now with Mom, waiting for all of us." He said, referring to his wife and three sons. "Josh flew in last night. He's still taking it pretty hard, but I'm glad he's with family now. I was worried about him being all by himself when he heard the news."

Arizona had been thinking about her oldest nephew as well. Joshua Robbins was a second lieutenant in the army and very close with his grandfather. All his life, the only thing he wanted to do was make that man proud. He was a lot like her brother Timothy in that way.

The remainder of the drive was silent. Finally, they pulled into the driveway of Barbara Robbins' home. "Oh, I almost forgot." Matt spoke up before Arizona climbed out of the car. Callie and the kids unloaded and started to go inside. "Mom wants the three of us to go see Timothy's grave today. She's wanted to go all week."

"I don't understand why. It's not like we won't already be at the cemetery enough this week."

"Arizona…"

"Don't. Its fine, I'll go. If mom wants us to go, we can go."

Matt rested his hand on Arizona's shoulder. "It's going to be ok."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I don't _feel_ ok. Do you? Are you ok with this?" Arizona snapped.

"Of course I don't feel ok." Matt began.

"Then cut the crap. Stop saying it's going to be ok when it's clearly not! Can everyone just be realistic and admit that our father is gone and we're not ok?"

Matt looked out the window into the distance and sighed. "I agree, nothing about this is ok. But I felt like this when Timothy died and after some time, it started to feel easier. It'll get better. It may not feel that way now, but you know it's true. You remember. We'll never get over the loss, but we will figure out how to keep living. It will get better."

"I don't want it to get better. I want my dad." Arizona's voice was tight with emotions. She furiously blinked away fresh tears before they could fall. She knew she sounded childish, but losing her dad made her suddenly feel very small and lost in the world. She was grown woman with four children of her own, yet she couldn't shake those feelings.

"I know. I do, too." Matt admitted.

They were silent for a moment before Arizona decided that it was time to go inside where the rest of the family was waiting. They both got out of the car and went inside.

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><p>It was almost five in the afternoon. Matt, Arizona, and Barbara had left to visit Timothy's grave. Callie and Kate joined forced in the kitchen to get food ready for everyone for when they got back. That left all seven grandchildren to themselves. Most of them congregated in the living room, but Harper had convinced Sierra to go outside and play soccer with her. The rest were sitting quietly. At the age of twenty-two, Josh was the only legal adult of the bunch and kept sipping scotch to numb the pain. Every now and then, though, he slid the glass over to his brother Danny, who was 19, so that he could have a sip. Danny was trying to distract himself by catching up with Sofia, but they were running out of things to talk about. Sometimes Josh would join in, but the conversations were still strained and short. It was the only time Sofia had ever remembered feeling awkward or upset around her cousins. On the other side of the room, sixteen-year-old Adam sat quietly next to Holden, who was always quiet and was enjoying the rare silence being shared with his cousin. Outside, Harper had constructed two goals. For one, she used a tree and some sort of large garden tool she had found and wedged into the ground so that it stood up straight. The other was outlined by the edge of the porch and a chair.<p>

"Can't we just kick it around?" Sierra whined. She hated when Harper wanted to play for points. Harper threw her a stubborn look.

"You said you would verse me in soccer!"

Sierra sighed and realized there was no way out of this. Harper gave her sister the ball first, knowing that it wouldn't be too hard to steal it from her anyway. Within a minute, Harper gained possession of the ball and dribbled passed Sierra to score the first goal. Sierra, who had no competitive edge at all, gave Harper some encouraging words.

"Great job, Harper! That was a nice shot!" She immediately noticed the odd expression her little sister gave her. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Harper muttered. "I was just thinking about something."

_It was a beautifully sunny fall day in Seattle, making it perfect weather for Harper's game. The team had already completed their warm-up run and stretches and now they were taking practice shots on the field. Normally, Harper was focused during this time in their pre-game routine. She was a forward and she loved taking shots on net. However, today was different. Harper glanced over at the sidelines for the millionth time. Seated next to her moms were her grandparents. They had flown in for a weekend visit and Harper had begged for them to watch her game. They were happy to oblige, but now all Harper could think about was how every little thing she did on the field, her grandparents would see. She started to feel anxious about tripping or messing up. She knew she was a good player, but what if she played badly today and her grandparents couldn't see how good she was? What if they were disappointed? _

_ The game started and from the first whistle, Harper couldn't seem to do a single thing right. She passed the ball too short and her opponent got it, she received the ball with too firm of a touch and sent it rebounding away, she dibbled right into the other team's defender, her shots went over the net. The list of her failures seemed endless. Harper's face began to flush and she knew it wasn't from running. She'd never been more relieved to hear the half-time whistle. Jogging off the field, she retrieved her water bottle from next to her mom's foldable chair._

_ "Good job, Honey." Her grandma sweetly encouraged. Harper gave a half-hearted smile. _

_ "Harper, come here." Her grandpa gestured for her to come closer to his chair. Harper walked a few steps until she was standing in front of him, curious about what he was going to say. His hands clasped her arms and he stared up at her with a proud glint in his eyes. "You're hustling hard out there. Keep it up. You had a really nice shot early that I thought was sure to go in."_

_ "It went over the net." Harper pointed out disappointingly. _

_ "But it was close. A little lower and you would've had it! I know you can do it. Your mom has been keeping me posted about your season. I know that you've got quite a strong kick."_

_ Harper felt some relief settle over her. It was like he knew exactly what was going on in her head. And it didn't matter if she played bad today because they already knew she was good. In fact, her grandpa already thought she was playing well. "I'll show them I'm even better!" She thought._

_ "Harper, you're going to miss your coach's half-time talk." Callie informed her daughter. Harper sprinted a few feet to the team huddle and as she did, she heard her grandfather's voice._

_ "Go get 'em, Harper!" _

_ When the second half kicked off, Harper was a whole new player. She was cool and confident, ready to show her grandpa just what she was capable of. The game was still tied at 0-0, but with ten minutes left in the second half, Harper struck the ball hard and sent it souring to the upper right corner. She could hear her parents and grandparents cheering as the ball hit the back of the net. She spun around and her eyes found her grandpa's. She'd never seen him looking at her so proudly before. When the time was out, Harper ran victoriously off the field, trying not to look overly pleased that she had been the only player to secure a goal the whole game. _

_ "What did I tell you?" Her grandpa grinned, giving her a tight side-hug. "I knew you could do it. Great job, Harper! That was a nice shot." _

"Harper, are you sure you're ok?" Sierra prodded, noticing how distant the younger girl seemed. Harper snapped out of her reverie and glanced at the ball at her feet.

"Yeah. I don't want to play anymore." She admitted quietly.

"Really?" Sierra was mildly surprised. They hadn't been out here very long.

"Let's go inside." Harper suggested, scooping up the ball and not even checking to see if her sister was following.

* * *

><p>"That seems like a very long amount of time to have a wake." Matt commented on the hours that Arizona had suggested. It was getting later in the night and all the adults were sitting around the dining room table settling the plans.<p>

"A lot of people will be coming to pay their respects to Dad." She reminded him.

"I know that, I'm just saying –"

"Oh, for the love god! Can you two just agree on something for once?" Barbara blurted out, silencing her bickering, grown-up children.

"Sorry, Mom." Arizona murmured.

"I guess it won't matter if we make sure there is plenty of food." Matt decided. "I don't want Mom starving because we are at the funeral home all day and she can't leave to go eat."

"What about pall bearers?" Arizona wondered, moving the conversation along. "Did we figure that out?"

"The four grandsons can do it and if I do it, too, we still need one more person." Matt shared.

"I'd like to do it." A voice from the doorway interrupted. All the adults turned to see Sofia, who had been standing there unnoticed for some time. Everyone was startled and she suddenly felt embarrassed for her suggestion. She had blurted it without even thinking and now she wondered if that was too presumptuous to ask. "I mean, if that's ok. If you had someone else in mind –"

"No," Barbara stopped her. "He'd want you to do it, Sofia. You're his oldest granddaughter. He'd want you to do it."

"Perfect. That settles it." Matt spoke to himself, writing something down on the sheet in front of him and moving on.

Sofia smiled and caught Arizona's gaze. It was clear from the look of love and appreciation she received from her mom that she hadn't been wrong in speaking up. The others had moved on to other parts of business, but Sofia and Arizona didn't notice. Sofia took a few steps forward until she had reached Arizona's chair and proceeded to give her a hug. Arizona tightened her grasp and kissed Sofia's cheek. It that moment, Sofia realized how happy it made her mom to see her wanting to be a pall bearer and do what she could to honor her grandfather. It seemed like a small task to do if it brought some joy and comfort to her grieving mom.

The plans for the funeral service came up, which evoked an outburst from Barbara. "I still can't find those damn discharge papers! I've looked all over and if I don't find them in time, they won't give your father a military burial!"

Just the notion of that made everyone feel uneasy. "Mom, we will find them. We still have a few days." Arizona promised. "Matt and I will help you look in the morning. We'll tear the house apart if we have to."

The discussions went on for another hour before the group called it a night. Everyone was emotionally drained and the stress of planning a funeral didn't help anyone. In the morning, they would find their father's military discharge papers because none of them wanted to face the alternative. The Colonel had given years of service to this country and deserved nothing less than to be buried with honor next to his son.

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><p><strong>Reviews, please! They make my day :) <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**I want to thank those of you who left a review after the last chapter! You guys are awesome :) This next chapter is the longest one yet and has three flashbacks so brace yourself for both sad and happy moments! Please leave a review at the end to let me know what you thought. Enjoy! **

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><p>The day of the wake had arrived. Barbara, Arizona, Callie, and the kids showed up at the funeral home just a few minutes before Matt, Kate, and their sons. As they walked into the building, Sofia felt her stomach rumble and came to the startling realization that she hadn't eaten one scrap of food all morning and now it was the afternoon. She had no idea when she would be able to eat. It was going to be a long day. They were led into the visitation room. Their family had been given an hour for private viewing before guests were allowed to start coming. Arizona stopped dead in her tracks the moment she turned the corner into the room and spotted her father's open casket on the other end. The rest of the world was gone and it was just her, standing there and gazing across the room at the lifeless figure of her father. Her dad, the man who had raised her, the man she held the most respect and adoration for, was gone. It had never felt more real than in that moment. He was never coming back. She was fatherless.<p>

Callie's gentle hand touched Arizona's back, reminder her that she was there, that she wanted to comfort her and support her as best she could. Arizona's gaze swung to Callie and she gave her a grateful smile. Taking Callie's hand, she stepped into the room.

Matt and his gang walked in, joining the rest of the family. It was very quiet and somber in the room. Sofia stood in the very back of the room, not ready to approach the casket yet. She noticed her cousins were doing the same. Adam, looking uncomfortable in his button-down shirt and tie, came and stood next to her.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" He asked. Sofia sent him a questioning stare.

"What's there to be nervous about?" She wanted to know.

"Pall bearing! Carrying the coffin!" He whispered frantically. It was obvious he had been thinking about this a lot. Sofia shook her head.

"Why are you scared of that?" She asked.

"I don't want to drop it! I know there are six of us, but it happens! I've seen videos of it on the internet."

"Adam, that's not going to happen." Sofia reassured him, but could tell he still wasn't at ease about this. The conversation stopped there and both teens fell silent.

Sofia watched her grandmother slowly move toward her grandfather's casket. The old woman was shaking when she finally stood in front of her deceased husband. It was a heartbreaking sight as Barbara silently broke down and tenderly touched the Colonel's arm. Matt came alongside his mother and put an arm around her for support. The two stood solemnly, wiping tears from their eyes and looking down at the well-loved face of Colonel Daniel Robbins. After some time, Barbara turned away and reached for the box of tissues that was a few feet from the casket. "Danny," She called to her grandson. She dug through her purse and pulled out her keys. "Will you do me a favor? Go to my car and grab the boxes in the truck. Bring them in here, please."

Danny obliged and returned a few minutes later with two small boxes. Inside were picture frames and stacks of photos. Barbara busied herself with setting them up around the room, getting it ready for when others would come.

"Let me help, Mom." Arizona gently urged. Barbara handed her a stack of photos.

"That board over there is magnetic. There are magnets next to it. You can put up these pictures on the board."

Arizona made her way across the room and Callie joined her. "Ok…" Arizona murmured as she flipped through the photos. "This one should go up. And this one." She began to give certain pictures to Callie. She held up one and looked at it for a while. It was one she had always been fond of, but hadn't seen in a while. In the photo was her father, relaxing in a hammock with three mischievous children squeezed in around him. It was taken during the brief period that the family was stationed in Florida. The Colonel, who had always secretly wanted to have a hammock, went out and bought one two weeks after they had moved in and set it up between two perfectly spaced trees. He had been lounging in it for the first time when the kids had bombarded him. Arizona was seven at the time, Matt had been five, and Timothy was ten. Just seconds after their mom had snapped the photo, their father had hollered at them to all get off before they broke it. They had laughed and scurried away.

Arizona smiled at the sight of the beaming faces in the photo, tracing her fingers along Timothy's young face. Even her dad had one of those rare smiles that went all the way to his eyes. She held it up to the board and pinned it with a magnet. She moved onto the next photo, which was of her father with Matt's three sons. It looked like it had been taken at some family get-together in the last few years. She handed it to Callie to put up. Photo after photo evoked bittersweet sentiment from Arizona. Her parents with her at her wedding, her father sitting proudly with his seven grandkids surrounding him, her father in downtown Seattle with her four kids, and the memories went on and on. Callie was pinning a photo of her in-laws to the board when she looked over to find Arizona clutching a photo of her with her father. Tears were streaming down her face. Callie instinctively pulled her wife of seventeen years into her arms.

"He was so supportive." She murmured after a while. "He was always so supportive of me, of being a lesbian, of becoming a doctor, of getting married, of having kids…" She rambled while Callie held her close. "He loves his grandkids so much." Her composure broke and a sob escaped her throat. "Loved." She corrected with a pang of sadness. "He loved them all so much."

"He loved you, too, Babe." Callie told her, wishing she could do something to shield Arizona from this unbearable pain. Arizona buried her head in Callie's shoulder and released her pent-up emotions of the day. As Callie was comforting her better half, she saw Sierra draw near the casket. Sierra was a little terrified. This was her first major brush with death and she's never been to a wake before. It was unnerving how alive her grandfather looked to her. As if at any moment, he could open his eyes and glance right at her. Sierra felt a shiver go down her spine.

_"Hello, Sweetheart_."

Sierra almost jumped. Clear as a bell, she could hear his voice. He always called her 'sweetheart'. She knew she had imagined it, but it didn't stop her from wishing he really was with her, alive and well. "I miss you, Grandpa…" She whispered. Tears began to cloud her vision and she turned away, only to find Sofia coming toward her. Without saying a word, Sofia wrapped her arms around Sierra and the two sisters clung to each other. Callie was watching and, despite the circumstances, found her heart warmed by the gesture. Sofia and Sierra had been bickering before they came to Chicago and were avoiding each other for days, but in their moments of grieving, they put their differences aside and came together, the way a family should in times of suffering.

One of the workers from the funeral home came in with a big flower arrangement and set in on a stand.  
>"Those are beautiful. Who are they from?" Barbara wanted to know. Arizona was already reaching for the card. She smiled slightly when she read the names. "Mark, Lexie, and Natalie Sloan."<p>

"That was very nice of them." Barbara commented softly. Arizona studied her face.

"Mom, why don't you sit and rest? Others will be coming soon and you won't have too much opportunity after that." Arizona led her mother to a seat and sat down next to her.

In their own time, everyone had taken the time to pay respects to Colonel Robbins. Sofia noticed Josh stop in front of his grandpa and take something from his pocket. It was a small medal, one of many that he had earned in his time in the army. He slipped it into his grandfather's coat pocket. After a moment, he spun around and walked away, heading to the back of the room. Sofia felt the urge to follow him and acted on it. He had his hand in his pocket again, only this time she saw him pull out a small flask.

"Do you go anywhere without scotch?" She teased him.

"Nope." He responded in between sips. "Don't let those guys from the funeral home see me. We're not supposed to have drinks of any sort in this room."

The light-hearted joking lasted only a few minutes before Sofia turned to her oldest cousin and spoke earnestly. "You made him very proud."

Josh was startled by her sudden words. Sofia managed a small smile. He had always been the big brother she never had. She had always looked up to him and saw him as a hero, even before he joined the army. "I know that Grandpa loved all of us, but there was a very special bond between you two. The two military men. I've never seen him so full of pride than when you became a second lieutenant."

Josh took another swig and found himself thinking back to that day. It had been about six months ago.

_For most young men and women about to finish their fourth year of college, the graduation ceremony is what everyone makes a big deal about. Unless, of course, they were graduating from West Point. For Josh, the only thing that got him through those four grueling years was knowing at the end of it all, his family would be there for his commissioning ceremony. He had finally made it. Sitting in his chair, watching his friends get sworn in as second lieutenants of the United States Army, he felt a whirlwind of emotions. His dad and mom were sitting a few rows behind him, looking prouder than ever. He was glad to see that Danny and Adam had taken the time to put on suits for a change. His Aunt Arizona and Aunt Callie had flown out with his cousins for the occasion as well. Sitting on the end of the row were his grandparents. Although he was certainly pleased to have everyone there, Josh was especially grateful to have his grandpa in attendance. _

_Before he knew it, it was his turn. He stood and made his way to the front. Following him up there, Colonel Robbins stood and faced his grandson. This was it. Both raised their right hand._

"_I, state your full name." Colonel Robbins began. _

"_I, Joshua Timothy Robbins." _

"_Having been appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Army…" _

_The entire moment seemed so surreal. His grandfather continued to administer the oath to him and when they finished, when Josh was officially sworn in, came another moment he had been looking forward to. He and his grandfather saluted each other. It was immediately following the salute that a smile peaked through the Colonel's stern expression and he took a step forward to embrace his grandson. "Good work, Joshua." _

"_Thank you, Sir." _

"That was my _moment_ with Grandpa." Josh admitted to Sofia. She nodded, knowing just how important that day was to him. "In the face of all of this," he waved his hand, gesturing around the visitation room. "I'm glad that I at least had that moment with him before he died." He took a final sip from his flask and pushed it back into his pocket.

"You made him very proud, too." He continued. "And I'm not just saying that. You really did. I remember when you were born and we first heard about how you were delivered early. I was really young at the time so I didn't fully understand the risks that preemies face, but I remember how scared everyone was." He paused and smiled at Sofia. "You pulled through. Against all odds, you pulled through. Grandpa always talked about that, about how strong you are and all you've overcome. You made him proud, too."

Sofia was caught off guard by what her cousin shared. In the past few days, the subject of whether or not she had made her grandfather proud had been on her mind almost constantly. It was comforting to hear Josh say what he had. He seemed to sense what was going on inside her head and he put an arm around her shoulders.

The family's hour of privacy had ended and the first few mourners began to arrive. There weren't a lot of people that the grandkids recognized. Barbara, on the other hand, was being greeted one after another by friends or acquaintances of the Colonel as a steady stream of visitors began to flow in through the doors. Arizona and Matt welcomed those that they knew and introduced themselves to the people that they didn't. Adam and Holden had found chairs to make themselves comfortable in while strangers swarmed around the room. Some occasionally stopped and introduced themselves to the boys, offering their condolences or saying how much they had respected the Colonel.

"I'm starving. What time is it?" Holden asked Adam.

"It's only four. We still have five more hours left."

Holden groaned. "I'm going to die of hunger!"

"You know there is food in the other room, right?" Adam said with a laugh. Holden sat up in his chair.

"Where?" He demanded.

"Follow me." Adam led Holden into the kitchen area where they found Sofia and Harper with platefuls of snacks.

"There's nothing too substantial." Sofia informed them when they entered. "Some chips and dip, these little sub sandwiches, and a veggie tray."

"I don't care." Holden grabbed a plate and began to fill it. "I haven't eaten anything all day."

"Me either! Holden, you forgot to eat, too?" Sofia exclaimed.

"Yep. I don't know how that happened. I guess since this morning was just such a rush to get ready."

Adam glanced from Sofia to Holden and shook his head again mockingly. "What am I going to do with you two?"

Sofia rolled her eyes.

"Hey guys, did you know that this soda machine if _free_?" Harper pressed a button and a can of soda dropped down to the bottom. She picked it up and opened it.

"Nice!" Adam raced over a grabbed on for himself.

"Harper, exactly how many cans of soda have you had today?" Sofia asked, remembering that Harper had been drinking one when she first entered.

"This is my third." The ten year old informed her older sister. "Probably not my last, either."

"Harper!" Sofia was astounded. "That is so bad for you!"

Harper shrugged her shoulders carelessly.

"I don't want to be around her when she hits her caffeinated sugar high!" Holden said in a joking manner, but he was half-serious. Harper glared at her brother.

Callie entered just then and glanced over the food options. "Is this all we have?"

"Yep." Adam sighed. "That's it."

Callie began to grab a few things. "Harper, you're coming with me." She announced.

"Why? Where are we going?" Harper whined.

"I need you to walk in front of me while I sneak this food into the room for your mom. I can't get her to leave the room and she needs to eat."

"I know it's not allowed and all, but do you really think you would get in trouble if you got caught?" Sofia wanted to know. "I mean, this is a wake. How mean would they be to a person who's grieving?"

"I don't want to find out." Callie replied. "Come on, Harper. Go make sure the coast is clear."

"Fine." Harper dragged herself out of her chair and went a few feet in front of her mother.

"I gotta say, I love how our family is breaking all the rules." Sofia laughed. Adam smiled in agreement.

"We should head back in." Sofia advised after everyone had polished off their plate of food. The three of them left together and entered the visitation room. It was still packed, although with a whole new group of people. Holden and Adam made their way back to their spots. Holden studied those around him. Some of the faces were familiar, some were not, but all of them were brokenhearted. His eyes finally settled on the face of his grandfather, barely visible from across the room. He had been Holden's role model in life, a man to look up to and strive to be like. His grandfather had always taken a special interest in him. Holden liked to think it was because his grandfather sympathized with how hard it was to grow up with two moms and three sisters.

_"Mom, what's going on? Where are we going?" Holden asked eagerly. Arizona smiled at her son._

_ "It's a surprise! I can't tell you."_

_ Holden sighed. He was getting nowhere with her. She had pulled him out of school two class periods early and hadn't told him much besides 'get in the car'. It was his thirteenth birthday, but he didn't think anything too big was going to happen. They already had plans for a party the coming Saturday. _

_Holden was aware of the route they were taking and began to wonder just what the surprise might be. They were almost to the driveway of their house._

_ "Home? We're going home?" He asked. _

_ "Hush. You'll find out soon enough." _

_ Holden spotted the unfamiliar car in their driveway. "Whose car is that?"_

_ "Enough questions!" Arizona exclaimed with a smile. "Come on. Just go inside." They got out of the car and Arizona made Holden enter the house first. _

_ "Hello?" Holden called out. _

_ "There's the birthday boy!" a voice called from the living room. Holden was shocked to find the Colonel in his home. _

_ "Grandpa! What are you doing here?" _

_ "I came to take my grandson to a ball game for his birthday."_

_ Holden's jaw dropped to the floor. "No way! Really?" He couldn't contain his excitement. Arizona laughed and told him to go get ready. _

_ "Are you coming, too, Mom?" He asked, hoping she couldn't tell that he was hoping she'd say no. _

_ "No! I've got surgeries to get to. I was only supposed to pick you up from school and bring you here, so now that my job is done, I'm heading back to the hospital." _

_ Holden turned back to his grandpa and grinned, realizing that this was his first time doing something with just his grandfather. _

_ "Be good. Have fun." Arizona kissed his cheek. "Happy birthday!" She vanished out the back door. _

_ Within minutes, Holden and the Colonel were headed to the baseball game in the rental car. Holden had never been to a baseball game, let alone a Seattle Mariners game. Neither of his moms were big sport fanatics. He really wasn't either, but that didn't mean he wasn't looking forward to some quality male bonding time with his grandfather. The game was exciting and fun. They got hot dogs to start with, but also helped themselves to giant pretzels later on in the game. They laughed and talked and cheered on the Mariners. As they drove home at the end of the night, Holden turned to his grandpa with a huge grin on his face. _

_ "Thank you so much, Grandpa! This was the best birthday ever!" _

_ "It's not over yet." The Colonel stated in his matter-of-fact voice. Holden raised his eyebrows. "I'm still hungry. How about we grab a bite to eat somewhere? Birthday boy's choice." Holden didn't think his smile could get any bigger, but it did._

_ "Yes, sir! Do you like Italian food?"_

_ "Love it."_

_ "Ok, there's this one restaurant we sometimes go to…"  
><em>

Holden pushed the memory away when he started to feel tears prick his eyes. He took a deep breath and collected himself, hoping Adam hadn't noticed his emotions playing out across his face. He was determined to stay strong, to not shed one tear in public. The Colonel was the strongest, most honorable man he had ever known. The least he could do was put on a brave face and stay strong for him. His eyes rested once more on the still face of his grandfather, his only real paternal figure in his life. Who would be his role model now?

The amount of people was dwindling the later it got. Matt ordered a pizza around 7 o'clock for everyone, which was a welcome break from greeting the masses. They ate in shifts and then mustered up whatever energy they had left for the final two hours. It was almost 9 o'clock and only a few people were left. Harper had pushed three chairs together and was stretched out on them with an arm covering her eyes from the light. Sofia and Sierra sat next to each other complaining about the heels they were wearing and how badly their feet hurt from standing all day. Matt and Arizona wouldn't leave their mother's side, while Callie and Kate wouldn't leave their spouse's. The four grandsons stood in the back of the room talking amongst themselves. Adam brought up his fear of dropping the casket and found that he was alone in that fear. Josh and Danny shook their head and told him he was overreacting.

"We could always have Sierra or Harper step in if you are too scared." Danny teased. "I'm sure they'll do just as fine a job."

Adam glared at his older brother. "Shut up."

"Calm down, you two." Josh ordered.

The last person left and finally it was just the family again.

"Come on, kiddos." Callie called to her four. "Get your coats on and let's head out." Harper slowly got up and went for her coat, followed by Sofia and Sierra, who were walking awkwardly to make the blisters hurt less. Holden said goodbye to his cousins and joined his siblings. They all exited the building and piled into one of their grandma's cars that they were borrowing for the week. It was a quiet trip back to Barbara's home. When they arrived, Arizona told all of the kids to start getting ready for bed immediately because tomorrow would be a long day and they needed plenty of sleep.

"Mom, can you help me undo my hair?" Sierra asked cautiously. Arizona hadn't been oblivious to the fact that Sierra hated to ask her to do anything in the past week. Sierra was the sweetheart of the family and wouldn't dare try to add even the slightest bit of stress to her already emotionally drained mother.

"Of course, Honey." Arizona told her, hoping that she could show Sierra it was ok to ask something of her. She dropped tiredly into the nearest chair. "Come sit in front of me and I'll take your braids out." Sierra obliged and Arizona began to undo her long, silky, black hair. Sierra, who always thought that having her hair played with was comforting, began to zone out, fiddling aimlessly with the necklace she wore. As she did, the memory of how she got the necklace suddenly came to mind. "Grandpa…" She whispered.

"What, Sweetie?" Arizona asked, unable to understand the comment she thought was directed to her.

"Nothing." Sierra spoke a little louder. Her face flushed red with the realization she had talked out loud without meaning to.

_ "Sierra?" _

_ Curled up on the couch, the seven-year-old ignored the call from her grandpa. The Colonel, however, was not one to be ignored. "Sierra, what's wrong? Why aren't you outside playing with your brother and sisters?" _

_ Sierra used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears and sat up. "They don't want me to play with them." She said with a shaky voice. _

_The Colonel sighed and sat down next to her. "Now, what makes you think that?" He asked her._

_ "They ditched me. They always do that. It's funny to them, but it's not funny to me." Of course, her siblings usually only pulled this stunt when their parents were out of town. This, unfortunately for Sierra, was one of those times. Callie and Arizona were taking a vacation to the Dominican Republic and had arranged for Arizona's parents to stay in Seattle with the kids while they were gone. Sierra turned tearful brown eyes to her wise and caring grandfather, looking for some sort of comfort or answer to her problem. _

_ "I see." The Colonel answered slowly. Sierra could tell it was because he was thinking. "Well, it just so happens that I was about to run a few errands and perhaps treat myself to some ice cream with whoever might be joining me. Since you are the only one around, how about coming with me for the day?" He asked with a smile. Sierra ginned back at him and nodded her head vigorously. The Colonel laughed. _

_ "Alright. Then let's get going. Put your shoes on, Sweetheart."_

_ Sierra scurried off to do as her grandfather requested. In a matter of minutes, the two climbed in the car and headed into downtown Seattle. The Colonel had really only needed to pick up a few groceries, but it was turned into an adventure for Sierra's sake. As the two of them sat on a bench enjoying their ice cream cones, Sierra pointed across the street to a familiar store. _

_ "My mommies take me there sometimes to shop. It's a fun store." She shared with her grandpa. The Colonel's eyes followed Sierra finger and then glanced back at her. _

_ "Do you want to go there now?" He asked. Sierra's eyes grew big in disbelief._

_ "Can we?" She begged. _

_ "Of course we can." The Colonel answered in his steady, business-like tone. "Just as soon as you finish your ice cream."_

_ Gobbling up her cone as fast as she could, Sierra finished and grabbed the Colonel's hand. "Come on, let's go!" _

_ Across the street they went, to a small boutique for little girls. Sierra, very much a girly-girl, excitedly browsed the items from clothing to jewelry to accessories. When she had seen just about everything, she turned to her grandfather. "This was fun, Grandpa." She said with a sweet smile. "Thanks for taking me with you." _

_ "We're not done!" He exclaimed. Sierra's brows furrowed in confusion. _

_ "We're not?" She asked. _

_ "No. You still have to pick out something special to take home." He informed her, as if this was something she should know. Sierra's face lit up. _

_ "I already know what I want!" She told him, racing off the next minute, only to return with a piece of jewelry. It was a sliver necklace with a flower-shaped pendant. Simple, yet beautiful. The Colonel smiled. "Excellent choice, Sierra." _

_ He purchased the necklace for her and the pair headed back to Sierra's home where her grandmother was waiting. _

_ "I thought you were only picking up a few things from the store?" Barbara asked in such a way that told her husband she knew what he had been up to._

_ "What can I say? We got a little distracted." He replied, giving a discrete wink to Sierra, causing her to giggle. Barbara gave the Colonel a look of mock rebuke. _

_ "Sierra, go outside and tell the rest of the kids to come in for dinner." Barbara told her granddaughter. Sierra ran to the back door and hollered for Sofia, Holden, and Harper to come inside. As they entered the house behind her, Sierra turned to her grandmother. _

_ "I'm not sure how hungry I'll be. Grandpa and I ate ice cream just a little while ago." Sierra informed Barbara. She caught the jealous glances of her siblings and shot her grandpa a victorious smile. He gave her a slight nod, letting her know her timing had been perfect. _

"Ok, all done." Arizona announced, running her hand over Sierra's now smooth hair.

"Thanks, Mommy." She murmured. Arizona reached forward and wrapped her arms around her middle daughter.

"I love you, Sierra Danielle." Arizona whispered, pressing a kiss to the girl's cheek.

"Love you, too, Mom." Sierra leaned back into her mother's embrace. They stayed like that for a while in comfortable silence.

"Hey, Mom?" Sierra spoke up.

"What?"

"I really like my name." Sierra announced. Arizona cocked one eyebrow.

"Ok… glad to hear it, kiddo." She responded, slightly confused by the random subject.

"I just wanted to let you know. I'm glad I'm named Sierra _Danielle_, after Grandpa Daniel." Arizona's heart swelled. These kids of hers really were something else.

"Well, I'm glad that you are so pleased." She squeezed Sierra just a little bit tighter. "Ok, bedtime." She announced. "We'll be getting up early tomorrow. It'll be a very long, tiring day." Sierra nodded and stood, saying goodnight to Arizona and finding her way to the room she was sharing with Harper and Sofia. Tomorrow would be long and sad and hard, but as her mama had already explained to her earlier in the week, the funeral was part of a natural step of grieving.

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><p><strong>Reviews, please! What did you think? <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter took a while. I had it almost completely finished back in May, except for one part. And so, I took a REALLY long break from this story and kind of forgot about it! Sorry for the wait! Here is the closing chapter for this little fic! Since it is so short, it might not be a bad idea to re-read the chaps from the beginning to the end. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!  
><strong>

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><p>Arizona stood in front of the mirror, fixing her black dress so it looked just right. Today was the day they would bury her father. She wasn't sure she was ready for that, but the fact remained that whether she was or not, the funeral would come just the same. She sighed and turned away from the mirror, leaving the guest bedroom. She spotted Harper in the hallway. Her hair was a tangled mess, her skirt was crooked, and she had missed a button with her black cardigan, making the whole thing look goofy. Arizona laughed softly to herself. Her youngest had always been the messy one with the wild, fly-away look about her. Harper turned to Arizona and grinned.<p>

"I'm all ready, Mom." She announced. Arizona shook her head.

"No, you're not." Her mom laughed. Harper's smile faltered. "Go grab your brush and let me fix your hair." Harper scurried off the guest room she was sharing with her sisters just as Callie emerged from the kitchen with a cup of coffee for her wife.

"Thank you." Arizona murmured just before taking a sip of the piping hot drink. Callie was already dressed and had been fixing breakfast for everyone. She had been doing a lot to take care of the family during this time. It didn't go unnoticed by Arizona and she was overwhelmed by how blessed she was. She didn't know how she could go through this without her wife, her very best friend in the world.

"Thank you." Arizona said just before leaning in to give Callie a kiss. Callie wrapped on arm around Arizona's waist.

"You already said thank you." Callie told her with a slight giggle.

"I know. The first one was for the coffee. The second one was for everything else you've been doing, in case I haven't told you enough already how much I appreciate you."

They shared a sweet look of love before Harper rounded the corner and almost ran into both of them. Callie took one look at their disheveled youngest and stifled a laugh. "There's food in the kitchen, Mija. Come eat once your mom is done with you."

The morning went by in blur. Everyone hurriedly got ready and ate before piling in the cars. Then came the drive to the funeral home. They parked in a line behind the hearse and went inside. The family was given a few more final moments before they were to leave for the cemetery. Arizona looped her arm through her mother's and the two made a slow and silent walk up to the casket. Sofia was watching them, her heart aching with grief, when she felt a hand gently caress her shoulder. It was Holden and he gestured for her to follow him. The two walked out of the gloomy, dim-lighted room into the big, echoing entryway where their cousins and uncle had gathered with a man from the funeral home.

"Is that all the pallbearers?" The man asked. Everyone nodded. As he proceeded to give them instructions for the day, Sofia couldn't help but feel a sense of pride wash over her. This task couldn't have held more honor and she was so pleased to be part of it. All her life, she had looked up to her grandfather and loved him dearly. Even though he wasn't her biological grandpa, she had always felt close to him. There had only been one time that she had doubted their relationship.

_ "Grandpa! Watch me and Holden!" Nine-year-old Sofia shouted across the park to the Colonel. Once they had secured his attention, six-year-old Holden and Sofia proceeded to climb up the playground equipment until they were sitting on top of the monkey bars with silly grins on their faces. Their grandfather smiled back while their grandmother warned them to be careful. Sofia rolled her eyes at her cautioning words._

_ "I told you Grandpa would be impressed." She said to her little brother, pushing her black hair out of her face. Holden nodded and then glanced at their grandfather sitting on a bench. _

_ "He's not really your grandpa." Holden said suddenly, causing the mood to suddenly change between the two. He didn't realize how hurt that made Sofia and he certainly wasn't trying to make her feel bad, but he had said it in an abrupt, uncensored way that little children sometimes have. He was six now and was well-aware of the fact that Sofia had a daddy that wasn't his. In fact, Sofia also had a sister and other mom that weren't his either. It used to confuse him until that other sister, named Natalie Sloan, told him that her mom Lexie was Sofia's stepmom and so was Holden's mom. For a few months now, little Holden began to think of his mom as not really Sofia's mom and his grandparents as not really Sofia's grandparents. After all, Sofia certainly didn't look anything like them._

_ Sofia turned her pained brown eyes away from Holden so he wouldn't see her tears. She knew that things were different for her than they were for Holden, Natalie, Sierra, and Harper. All of them had two parents, but she had four. That's what her parents had always told her. However, she knew that she came from her mama and daddy, but she had never thought that it meant Arizona wasn't really her mom. She looked back at Holden and took in his white-blonde hair and pristine blue eyes. He looked like his mom and his mom looked like Grandma and Grandpa Robbins while Sofia looked like her mama and her mama looked like Grandma and Grandpa Torres. Did that mean Holden's mom wasn't her mom? And that his grandparents weren't her grandparents? The thought began to tumble around in her head, making her very sad and confused. She loved Grandpa and Grandma Robbins. She couldn't bare the thought of not belonging to them. Tears began to course down her face. Holden had scrambled off the monkey bars and gone on to play with something else, leaving Sofia by herself to think. _

_After a while, she slowly climbed down with the somber realization that her family was actually much smaller than she had believed. She wiped her tears and marched away, not entirely sure where she was going. She encountered four-year-old Sierra playing in the sandpit. They weren't very close in age and didn't play together often, but Sofia now felt closer to Sierra than any of her siblings. With all of the confusing questions about her family rolling around in her mind, she could at least tell by looking at Sierra that they were sisters. _

_Sofia knelt in the sand next to Sierra. Her little sister smiled up at her and the two began to play together. A boy who looked to be between the ages of the two sisters came over and snatched a plastic shovel out of Sierra's hand._

"_Hey!" Sierra cried, trying to get it back. The boy kicked sand in her face and started to walk away, but Sofia wouldn't stand for it. As Sierra began to bawl and desperately wipe at her face, Sofia stood and went after the boy._

"_That's my little sister's! Give it back!" _

_She pushed him. Hard. She hadn't meant to be so rough, but with all she was feeling inside, it had boiled over in this one moment. The boy fell backwards and began to cry himself. Sofia panicked and looked from her crying sister to the crying boy. Then she noticed Holden with a mouth wide-open, staring at her. _

"_I'm telling Grandpa!" He suddenly said, taking off for the bench where their grandfather sat. Sofia felt her anxiety building. She picked up Sierra, who was almost too heavy for Sofia to pick up anymore, and sluggishly made her way to Holden and the Colonel with the extra weight in her arms. She arrived just as Holden was finishing the story. Sierra's cries had turned into a quiet whimper, but she was still upset and crawled into her grandfather's lap. Sofia watched and took particular note of how loving he was with little Sierra. He certainly treated her like she was his granddaughter. _

"_So is she going to get in trouble?" Holden wanted to know. Sofia shot him a dirty look. The Colonel began to laugh a little, causing Sofia to look over at him and notice the kind and loving look that he was now giving her. _

"_That's my girl! Protecting her little sister." He put on arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. She felt something stirring in her heart. He had called her _his_ girl. Even if she didn't fully understand the complex family she belonged to, Sofia knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was her grandfather. Even if they didn't look alike._

Sofia never doubted who her family was after that. Even when she was older and had learned what the term "biological" meant. Even when she found out the entire story surrounding her conception and birth. In fact, she counted herself lucky. Her family was twice the size of most people's. Now, as she and the men in her family surrounded the closed casket, Sofia felt the loss of her dearly loved grandpa more than ever. He had proved to her over and over again just how special she was to him. She would never forget him. She tenderly touched her hand to the top of the casket, which was covered in an American flag. She hoped with all her heart that he knew just how much she loved him and deeply appreciated his love in return.

The pallbearers gripped the side rail of the casket and began to load it into the hearse and the funeral procession began. It was a long, slow drive to the cemetery and one that was all too achingly familiar for Barbara and her children. At last, they arrived at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. A layer of snow covered the ground and Sofia prayed not to slip the entire time they carried the casket. She inwardly sighed with relief when they set the casket on a stand and she was able to take her seat for the service. Barbara sat stoically in the front row, with her two children on each side. On the inside, her emotions were raging, but she was determined to hold herself together or she knew she'd never be able to stop the constant flow of tears. She felt a hand placed comfortingly on her shoulder and knew it was her grandson, Josh, who was sitting directly behind her. The minister began to say a few words, but all she could focus on was the American flag covered coffin and the knowledge that her soul mate was inside it. She would never see his face again or the twinkle in his eye when he teased her. A tear escaped her eye and she abruptly snapped out of her trance and instead focused her attention on what was playing out in front of her.

The minister closed in prayer and then men in uniform proceeded to fold the American flag. Barbara couldn't hold back anymore. The tears began to silently flow. Next to her, Arizona squeezed Barbara's hand and wiped at her own tears with a tissue. Behind her, Barbara could hear the sniffles and sobs of her sweet grandkids. Arizona glanced back to see all seven huddled together in their row, arms around each other. In the midst of such sadness, Arizona was struck by the beauty of this sight. She was sure that if the Colonel could see them now, he's be proud of how everyone was pulling together and supporting each other. The thought made Arizona cry harder. Her heart was aching and nothing would ease it.

The flag, neatly folded into a perfect triangle, was presented to Barbara. Her lip quivered as she accepted it and then clutched the flag to her chest. The final military honor was the 21 gun solute. The shots rang out over the silent and snowy cemetery, piercing her heart each time. Then it was over. The group began to slowly break up. Most headed over to the restaurant where the meal was going to be hosted. Some said their goodbyes and headed home. For Barbara and her crew, they stayed put a little longer, still sitting in their chairs, watching the casket lower into the ground. It wasn't until snow began to fall that Matt suggested they get moving before the roads got bad. After all, everyone was expected them to the restaurant soon, too. Barbara stood, looked down into her husband's final resting place, and silently said goodbye. Her eyes fell onto Timothy's headstone before she turned away with fresh tears. Arizona came alongside her and walked with her to the car. The service was over. All of it was done and now came the part to move on. Except none of them wanted to. None of them felt that they could, even if they tried.

* * *

><p>"I want each of you to go through the house. Pick out something that reminds you of Grandpa to keep." Barbara announced suddenly when they returned to the house. All seven grandkids looked around at each other a little uneasily. It felt a bit like an invasion of privacy to do that. At the same time, each longed to have something that belonged to the Colonel. After a few awkward seconds, the group dispersed.<p>

"It feels wrong to start packing right now." Arizona commented to Callie. They hadn't been able to get much time off and the kids had already missed some school. Their flight was in a few hours and they simply couldn't stay longer. The only comfort Arizona felt about leaving was that her little brother lived nearby and would look in on their mother.

"I'll start packing, Babe. Don't worry about it." Callie murmured. "Go sit down, get a cup of coffee."

Arizona shook her head. "I feel like you've done too much for me already. I can pack, I just don't want to."

"Arizona, just rest and spend some more time with your mom." Callie gently ordered. She pressed a kiss to Arizona's cheek. "I know if the situation was reversed, you'd be doing just the same for me."

Arizona couldn't argue, knowing what Callie was saying was true. She'd do anything for her. Barbara had sat down in her usual chair in the living room. Arizona joined her, sitting on the couch. Harper walked in the room and went up to Barbara.

"Grandma, is it alright if I keep this?" Harper asked, holding out an antique toy model car. The Colonel had had a few of them on his desk in the study. They had belonged to his father. Barbara liked the idea of Harper keeping one.

"Of course." She said with an encouraging smile, slipping an arm around the girl and pulling her close. "That's an excellent choice."

Arizona felt another surge of emotions. It seemed like anything could bring tears to her eyes lately, whether it was good or bad.

The precious moments slipped by all too quickly and it was soon time for Arizona and her crew to leave. Goodbyes were said and hugs were given out. Matt and his sons brought the suitcases out to his car. Arizona wasn't ready to leave just yet. She gave her mother one final, lasting hug and told her to call soon and to not hesitate to call Matt if she needed anything since he was so close. Barbara framed Arizona's face gently with her hands and looked deeply into her daughter's eyes.

"I will. I love you, Arizona, and you have been such a wonderful blessing in my life."

Arizona nodded. "I love you, too, Mom." She choked out.

She turned and grabbed her purse. Callie was ushering the kids out of the house and out to the car. Arizona was at the door when she turned and took one final glance at the living room. Her eyes fell onto the worn, black recliner. She'd seen her father sitting there hundreds of times. She'd had a million conversations with him there late at night when neither of them would sleep, but catch up instead.

"_You feeling alright, Sweetheart?" The Colonel had asked her. _

"_I'm fine, Dad. I just needed to get off my feet." Arizona responded, her hands grazing over her rounded belly. She had slowly eased herself onto the couch and had no intentions of moving for a while. The Colonel took his usual spot in the black, leather recliner near the couch. _

"_Is he kicking a lot?" Her father wanted to know._

"_Like you wouldn't believe." Arizona groaned. _

"_Like a Robbins." The Colonel teased with a proud smile. "You come up with any names yet?"_

"_Nothing for sure, yet. We're still throwing around a few ideas."_

"_You could always name him Phoenix." The Colonel quipped. The joke was not lost on Arizona and she laughed, but vigorously shook her head. _

"_Not in a million years." She stressed. The Colonel had one final chuckle before the two grew quiet. Arizona leaned her head back and closed her eyes, grateful for some peaceful moments without her energetic three-year-old Sofia.  
><em>

_"I'm proud of you." _

_Arizona's eyes fluttered open and met her father's. He saw the look of confusion on her face brought from the abrupt statement. _

"_I'm proud of what you've done with your career and I'm proud your family and how well you are raising your daughter." He explained. Arizona wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy hormones or the authority issues, but the words brought tears to her eyes. "You're a good man in a storm, Arizona, just the way I raised you to be. I'm proud of you." _

"_Thanks, Dad." She choked out, despite the sudden lump in her throat. She smiled at her father and wondered silently if age was softening the man. The Colonel always spoke his mind, but usually not so poignantly. _

Arizona tore her gaze away from the chair and took a deep breath. She'd never forget that moment. Or a hundred other memories of her father. He was a part of her, he had raised her and played a huge role in who she was today as a parent and as a person. She'd never figured out what had prompted his little speech that day, but she was so grateful for it.

A hand gently touched her arm and Arizona turned to see Sofia standing next to her. "All the luggage is in the car." She told her mom. "I think we're all ready to go."

"Alright, thanks, Hon." Arizona sighed and looked back once more at her parents' home and walked out the front door.

"Hey, Sofia," Arizona came along side her daughter as they walked to the car. Sofia looked up expectantly at her mom. "I'm proud of you. Every day."

Sofia's brows furrowed slightly in confusion, but she smiled nonetheless. "Thanks, Mom."

They piled in Matt's van with the rest of the Robbins-Torres crew. It was time to return to Seattle, but not without memories and mementos of one greatly loved, departed father and grandfather. As the vehicle pulled out of the driveway, Sofia leaned her head against the backseat window and closed her eyes. _Goodbye, Grandpa. I'll always remember you… _

* * *

><p><strong>The inspiration for this story came from my own personal experience of losing my grandpa, who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force. After watching an episode of Grey's where Arizona mentioned her dad was a military man, I realized I could use my experience with these characters. After that, it practically wrote itself! I hope you enjoyed this fic. Reviews are greatly appreciated. <strong>_  
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